Central Kitsap Reporter

Real Change is coming to Kitsap County streets

Real Change is coming to Kitsap County and the Kitsap Rescue Mission has agreed to be the distribution point.

The launch date to see the newspaper on the streets in Bremerton is mid November, according to Walt LeCouteur, Kitsap Rescue Mission executive director.

“We’re excited,” he said. “We’ve been working for about two years to bring Real Change to the Kitsap area.

The paper is an opportunity for homeless individuals and others with limited resources to make some money, LeCouteur said. Vendors who sell the paper are chosen after they are interviewed and sign a behavior agreement with Real Change, which is headquartered in Seattle.

Vendors purchase the papers for 60 cents and sell them for $2. Vendors get to keep any money they make.

“It’s a way to teach them responsibility about money,” he said. “If they want, once they make their weekly money, they can pre-pay for their next week’s papers. Or they can keep everything they’ve made and use it for their expenses during the week.”

The work also allows vendors to get connected with the community and build self-esteem, said Real Change staff, in a press release.

Rescue Mission personnel will pick up the papers from Real Change and distribute them to vendors from the rescue mission office and collect fees.

LeCouteur said a few volunteers are needed to help with the distribution and pickup of the papers on Wednesdays.

LeCouteur said they will need six to 10 vendors.

“We’ll mostly be selling in Bremerton, but eventually we want to expand to Silverdale, Poulsbo and Port Orchard,” he said. “The paper right now will have mostly Seattle content, but eventually the staff wants to add a columnist from Kitsap and other Kitsap news.”

The paper may contain local advertising eventually, he added.

To apply, contact Jenn Pearson at volunteer@realchangenews.org, or stop by the Kitsap Rescue Mission at 1305 Ironsides Ave., Bremerton. The phone is 360-373-3428.